The Multiverse Saga is winding down, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is once again at a turning point. While recent entries explored new realities and timelines, the overall response has been mixed, and many fans are wondering what’s next. After over 15 years of shared storytelling, the MCU needs a bold new chapter to reignite excitement.
The answer may lie far from Earth. Marvel’s cosmic corner, filled with gods, empires, and existential threats, remains one of the franchise’s most underused assets from Marvel Comics. Films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Eternals, and Captain Marvel have scratched the surface, but there’s a galaxy's worth of untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed.
With Fantastic Four and Avengers: Secret Wars already teasing the cosmic scale of things to come, Phase 7 could be the MCU’s most ambitious era yet. But to truly pull it off, Marvel needs a fresh cast of cosmic players, characters with the power, complexity, and presence to reshape the universe.
The Cosmic Reinforcements Who Could Shape the MCU’s Next Great Saga
Genis-Vell
Genis-Vell, Mar-Vell's genetically engineered son, is a powerful cosmic being who has inherited Captain Marvel's legacy. His abilities include flight, energy manipulation, and a connection to the omniverse-spanning Nega-Bands.
In the comics, he’s even gone insane from his heightened perception of time and reality, a fascinating character arc that could offer psychological depth alongside spectacle.
Bringing Genis-Vell into the MCU could allow Marvel to revisit Mar-Vell's cosmic legacy while offering a new kind of hero, one who struggles with identity, cosmic awareness, and living in the shadow of great expectations. His presence could also link Carol Danvers’ narrative to a broader intergalactic saga.
Moondragon
Heather Douglas, aka Moondragon, is a brilliant telepath and martial artist and one of the few humans trained by the monks of Titan (the same ones who raised Thanos). Her backstory is tragic, her powers are immense, and she brings a grounded intensity to cosmic stories.
She’s also openly queer in the comics and has a longstanding romantic connection with Phyla-Vell. Introducing Moondragon would add meaningful representation while enriching the MCU’s exploration of identity, power, and purpose on a cosmic scale.
Fans have longed to see Moondragon in the MCU and were left disappointed when she didn't appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Annihilus
One of the most dangerous villains in Marvel’s cosmic catalogue, Annihilus is the insectoid ruler of the Negative Zone and the mastermind behind the Annihilation Wave, a storyline that brought the cosmic Marvel universe to its knees.
With Fantastic Four officially joining the MCU, introducing Annihilus could provide the franchise with a new overarching threat on par with Thanos. His nihilistic hunger for control over all life would be a perfect thematic mirror for the MCU’s current chaos.
Korvac
Michael Korvac is a cybernetic entity whose godlike power once rivaled that of the cosmic pantheon, including the likes of the Watcher and Galactus. In The Korvac Saga, he challenged the Avengers and tried to impose a utopian vision on reality by force.
As a villain, Korvac brings a twisted idealism that could resonate in a post-Secret Wars MCU grappling with fractured realities and moral gray areas. He’s the kind of foe who thinks he’s saving the universe, a villain with a messiah complex, which always makes for great drama.
Korvac’s strength lies not just in his powers but in his belief system. He genuinely sees himself as a savior, which would create compelling philosophical tension with Earth’s mightiest heroes. What happens when the villain’s plan actually makes sense, but at the cost of free will?
Death
Death, the cosmic embodiment of mortality, already made a quiet appearance in Agatha All Along, signaling that Marvel is ready to expand her presence in the live-action universe. While she played a subtle role in that series, her potential in the broader MCU remains enormous.
In the comics, Death is a mysterious figure who commands reverence from cosmic entities, including Thanos, who fell hopelessly in love with her. Although the MCU altered Thanos’ motivations, there's still ample room to explore Death’s mythological weight and emotional gravity.
If Marvel chooses to elevate her status, Death could act as a catalyst for new threats or multiversal collapse. Her presence would add a mythic, almost operatic tone to Phase 7, forcing characters to confront their mortality and legacy.
Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)
The original Quasar, Wendell Vaughn, is one of Marvel’s premier cosmic heroes. Wielding the Quantum Bands, he can manipulate energy, travel at light speed, and create hard-light constructs similar to Green Lantern.
Quasar is often a protector of the universe, bridging the gap between human vulnerability and cosmic responsibility. He’d be a fresh face in the MCU, someone with the potential to lead the next generation of heroes into the great unknown.
What makes Wendell unique among cosmic heroes is his humility. Unlike others who rise to power with ego, Wendell succeeds precisely because he lacks the aggressive nature most others display, a theme that could feel refreshing amid more chaotic characters.
Vulcan
Gabriel Summers, aka Vulcan, is the lost brother of Cyclops and Havok, and a former Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire. He’s one of Marvel's most powerful omega-level mutants with the ability to manipulate all forms of energy.
Vulcan’s rise to power was brutal and tragic. Raised as a slave before discovering his lineage, his story is one of pain, vengeance, and obsession.
His complex ties to the X-Men and his tyrannical reign in space make him a perfect candidate for cosmic storytelling. With mutants slowly entering the MCU, Vulcan could be the bridge between the Earthbound and cosmic corners of the Marvel universe.
Bringing Vulcan into the fold could also tie in with larger Shi’ar politics and space conflicts, setting up a Game of Thrones-style power struggle in the stars.
The Beyonder
One of the most powerful entities in all of Marvel, the Beyonder originally hailed from a dimension beyond the multiverse. He was the architect of the original Secret Wars, plucking heroes and villains from Earth to battle for supremacy.
The MCU’s upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars may already be laying the groundwork for his introduction, though the character could be reimagined. His godlike power, childlike curiosity, and moral ambiguity make him an ideal wildcard for Phase 7 and beyond.
Often, he’s either a villain, a misguided deity, or something in between. There's no doubt that The Beyonder offers limitless storytelling potential.
Blastaar
Another major force from the Negative Zone, Blastaar is a warlord with immense strength and explosive energy abilities. Often an enemy of the Fantastic Four and Annihilus alike, his motivations are rooted in conquest and domination.
Blastaar could serve as either a secondary villain or a chaotic neutral player in the MCU’s cosmic chessboard. With the Negative Zone potentially introduced in Fantastic Four, his debut feels inevitable.
He also brings brute force to a cosmic roster often focused on intelligence or mysticism. A character driven by conquest and power, Blastaar could reflect the MCU’s darker corners.
High Evolutionary
Although seemingly defeated in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the High Evolutionary survived (read all about it here). Even if that iteration is gone, variants across the multiverse remain a possibility.
As a being obsessed with forced evolution and godlike control, he offers thematic richness and narrative flexibility. His scientific extremism could clash with Earth’s heroes in new, unsettling ways.
A return via the multiverse could allow Marvel to retool the character for a larger role. A version of the High Evolutionary who has already conquered his own timeline could arrive with a perfected army, and zero patience for imperfection.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
